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perrya
Joined: 03 Feb 2010
Posts: 1
Location: santa rosa, CA
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 Posted: Sun Feb 07, 2010 2:29 am Post subject: ESL online training of 100, 150, 250 hrs. |
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Many newbies like myself see online classes for 100 hr, 150 hr, 250 hr etc. Since the 100 hr certificate is needed to teach, is the extra cost for classes with 150 hr or 250 hr, worth it? will the more hours in class make a difference to an employer looking at the CV?
The CLETA requires 120 hrs plus 50-80 hrs of homework etc., thus, if an online class of 150 or 250 hrs is offered, is this equivilent in class hours to a CLETA, even though it is not officially (because there are no CLETA classes online) and you end up with a cerificate.
Most online classes provide a certificate upon completion. My guess this is NOT the same as a certification, true?
perry |
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spiral78
Joined: 05 Apr 2004
Posts: 11534
Location: On a Short Leash
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| Posted: Sun Feb 07, 2010 8:59 am Post subject: |
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More hours won't equal more reputability, if the course is online.
The key component to a CELTA or equivalent on-site course is supervised teaching practice with real students, and feedback from experienced teacher trainers.
It's the hands-on, practical teaching component that online courses can't provide - and depending on the region of the world where you want to teach, an online cert regardless of how many hours may not be considered sufficient by reputable employers. |
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Chancellor
Joined: 31 Oct 2005
Posts: 1337
Location: Ji'an, China - if you're willing to send me cigars, I accept donations :)
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| Posted: Sun Feb 07, 2010 2:01 pm Post subject: |
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| spiral78 wrote: |
More hours won't equal more reputability, if the course is online.
The key component to a CELTA or equivalent on-site course is supervised teaching practice with real students, and feedback from experienced teacher trainers.
It's the hands-on, practical teaching component that online courses can't provide - and depending on the region of the world where you want to teach, an online cert regardless of how many hours may not be considered sufficient by reputable employers. |
ONTESOL, which is Coventry House International's online course (their on-site course is a Trinity course) offers that all-important on-site teaching practicum with real ESL students as part of its online course (meaning that you have to actually go do the practicum on-site). Further, the online course is taught by the same instructors who do the on-site course. If you have a Canadian four-year degree (or a four-year degree evaluated by a Canadian degree evaluation service like the one at University of Toronto), TESL Canada will give you a Level 2 certificate as well.
For more information: http://www.ontesol.ca |
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idiggs
Joined: 04 Feb 2010
Posts: 47
Location: Ecuador La Costa
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| Posted: Sun Feb 07, 2010 7:18 pm Post subject: |
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| Chancellor wrote: |
| spiral78 wrote: |
More hours won't equal more reputability, if the course is online.
The key component to a CELTA or equivalent on-site course is supervised teaching practice with real students, and feedback from experienced teacher trainers.
It's the hands-on, practical teaching component that online courses can't provide - and depending on the region of the world where you want to teach, an online cert regardless of how many hours may not be considered sufficient by reputable employers. |
ONTESOL, which is Coventry House International's online course (their on-site course is a Trinity course) offers that all-important on-site teaching practicum with real ESL students as part of its online course (meaning that you have to actually go do the practicum on-site). Further, the online course is taught by the same instructors who do the on-site course. If you have a Canadian four-year degree (or a four-year degree evaluated by a Canadian degree evaluation service like the one at University of Toronto), TESL Canada will give you a Level 2 certificate as well.
For more information: http://www.ontesol.ca |
I wish they offered the Trinity Course in America. It is much cheaper than the CELTA and still one of the more prestigious certificates. Some employers look at the Trinity TESOL Certificate as being just as good as the CELTA. |
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natsume
Joined: 24 Apr 2006
Posts: 409
Location: Chongqing, China
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| Posted: Sun Feb 07, 2010 11:52 pm Post subject: |
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| idiggs wrote: |
I wish they offered the Trinity Course in America. It is much cheaper than the CELTA and still one of the more prestigious certificates. Some employers look at the Trinity TESOL Certificate as being just as good as the CELTA. |
It doesn't look all that much cheaper, at least in San Francisco.
http://www.stgiles-international.com/teacher_training/cert_tesol_courses.php |
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idiggs
Joined: 04 Feb 2010
Posts: 47
Location: Ecuador La Costa
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| Posted: Mon Feb 08, 2010 6:20 am Post subject: |
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If you would read that page again, you will see that CELTA (not Trinity) is the course that is offered in San Francisco.
And Trinity is cheaper $1000 (in US dollars). The closest place to get a Trinity Certificate for Americans is Toronto Canada. |
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Justin Trullinger
Joined: 28 Jan 2005
Posts: 3110
Location: Seoul, South Korea and Myanmar for a bit
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| Posted: Mon Feb 08, 2010 2:10 pm Post subject: |
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Each center sets their own prices.
A statement like "Trinity is cheaper than CELTA" really doesn't hold water.
Some places on is cheaper than the other. Many places the prices are similar. But there's no center price control, so it depends on what an individual center decides to charge.
best,
Justin |
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Chancellor
Joined: 31 Oct 2005
Posts: 1337
Location: Ji'an, China - if you're willing to send me cigars, I accept donations :)
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| Posted: Mon Feb 08, 2010 3:47 pm Post subject: |
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| idiggs wrote: |
| Chancellor wrote: |
| spiral78 wrote: |
More hours won't equal more reputability, if the course is online.
The key component to a CELTA or equivalent on-site course is supervised teaching practice with real students, and feedback from experienced teacher trainers.
It's the hands-on, practical teaching component that online courses can't provide - and depending on the region of the world where you want to teach, an online cert regardless of how many hours may not be considered sufficient by reputable employers. |
ONTESOL, which is Coventry House International's online course (their on-site course is a Trinity course) offers that all-important on-site teaching practicum with real ESL students as part of its online course (meaning that you have to actually go do the practicum on-site). Further, the online course is taught by the same instructors who do the on-site course. If you have a Canadian four-year degree (or a four-year degree evaluated by a Canadian degree evaluation service like the one at University of Toronto), TESL Canada will give you a Level 2 certificate as well.
For more information: http://www.ontesol.ca |
I wish they offered the Trinity Course in America. It is much cheaper than the CELTA and still one of the more prestigious certificates. Some employers look at the Trinity TESOL Certificate as being just as good as the CELTA. |
But then you'd still be dealing with the cost of food and of a place to stay during the four-five weeks you're there. So, having the course in the U.S. wouldn't necessarily be more advantageous than a course in Canada.
Besides, Toronto's an awesome city! |
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Justin Trullinger
Joined: 28 Jan 2005
Posts: 3110
Location: Seoul, South Korea and Myanmar for a bit
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| Posted: Mon Feb 08, 2010 10:52 pm Post subject: |
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There are several SIT TESOL courses throughout the US, which is another that is similarly well regarded.
Where do you live?
Best,
Justin |
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idiggs
Joined: 04 Feb 2010
Posts: 47
Location: Ecuador La Costa
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| Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 12:44 am Post subject: |
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| Justin Trullinger wrote: |
There are several SIT TESOL courses throughout the US, which is another that is similarly well regarded.
Where do you live?
Best,
Justin |
The closest SIT TESOL to me is New York and it costs $2360 (not much of a difference from the CELTA).
I simply cannot afford it right now (budget is really tight). I have been looking at TEFL/TESOL schools for a while and was hoping to get a quality education for an affordable price. I was considering between I-to-I 120 hour ($663) and American TESOL 120 hour ($950). I want to start working as a teacher sometime this year.
I'm not so much concerned about the salary. I just need a change in careers. I want to earn a salary (even if it is the same amount) and enjoy my work rather than hating it.
I will get a CELTA/Trinity someday. Just can't right now. |
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naturegirl321
Joined: 04 May 2003
Posts: 9041
Location: home sweet home
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| Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 2:34 am Post subject: |
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| Also, ask what an "hour" consists of, sometimes it's 40 minutes, 45, 50, an hour, etc. |
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Justin Trullinger
Joined: 28 Jan 2005
Posts: 3110
Location: Seoul, South Korea and Myanmar for a bit
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| Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 1:56 pm Post subject: |
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Wait tables a bit longer? (Or whatever you're doing.)
I know it's rough- but most online cert-level quals aren't worth the paper they're printed on. Those few that might be really don't represent much savings.
You'll be entering the field at a disadvantage, and disadvantaging your students, by choosing not to get a real, solid qualification.
And most places in the world, you'll be in competition with those who made the sacrifice to be able to get the CELTA, Trinity, SIT, or equivalent. How do you think that's going to go?
Best,
Justin |
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Chancellor
Joined: 31 Oct 2005
Posts: 1337
Location: Ji'an, China - if you're willing to send me cigars, I accept donations :)
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| Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 8:03 pm Post subject: |
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| idiggs wrote: |
| Justin Trullinger wrote: |
There are several SIT TESOL courses throughout the US, which is another that is similarly well regarded.
Where do you live?
Best,
Justin |
The closest SIT TESOL to me is New York and it costs $2360 (not much of a difference from the CELTA).
I simply cannot afford it right now (budget is really tight). I have been looking at TEFL/TESOL schools for a while and was hoping to get a quality education for an affordable price. I was considering between I-to-I 120 hour ($663) and American TESOL 120 hour ($950). I want to start working as a teacher sometime this year.
I'm not so much concerned about the salary. I just need a change in careers. I want to earn a salary (even if it is the same amount) and enjoy my work rather than hating it.
I will get a CELTA/Trinity someday. Just can't right now. |
Forget i-to-i! Only go with a course that has an on-site teaching practicum with real ESL/EFL students. ONTESOL (http://www.ontesol.ca) charges CDN$950 for its 250-hour course.
If you have a bachelor's degree already, you could consider going on to get a graduate certificate in TESL from a university. |
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santi84
Joined: 14 Mar 2008
Posts: 1317
Location: under da sea
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| Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 9:24 pm Post subject: |
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| idiggs wrote: |
I'm not so much concerned about the salary. I just need a change in careers. I want to earn a salary (even if it is the same amount) and enjoy my work rather than hating it.
I will get a CELTA/Trinity someday. Just can't right now. |
The problem is that employers who will accept a crappy certificate like i-to-i are probably going to be dodgy employers. You may want a job that you love, but employers who care tend to require the minimum basic qualifications. |
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Justin Trullinger
Joined: 28 Jan 2005
Posts: 3110
Location: Seoul, South Korea and Myanmar for a bit
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| Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 11:04 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| I'm not so much concerned about the salary. I just need a change in careers. I want to earn a salary (even if it is the same amount) and enjoy my work rather than hating it. |
Search the boards. EFL has been good to me, but I'm not so naive as to believe that all the posters here enjoy their jobs.
There are many many jobs in EFL that nobody could enjoy. Job-hating is epidemic in this industry.
What we're saying is that the jobs that you're most likely to enjoy are the ones that are a little concerned about the quality of your training.
The lower end employers tend to offer exploitative wages, brutal schedules, and unpleasant working conditions. It's not just the salaries that are affected. It's virtually all the factors that influence how much you can enjoy your job.
Do your homework. Some places in the world, you can work without a cert, if you're really unwilling to decide to invest in training. If these are the places you want to go, best of luck. Save some money, and get the cert later on.
Other places, you need the real, onsite certificate. If these are the places you want, you aren't going to fox them by having an online cert. Get the real thing.
The i to i cert is good for getting work...in places you could just as easily get work without it. Don't waste your money or time.
There may be someplace in the world where an online cert like i to i is accepted by employers who won't take teachers with no cert. If you find reliable reports of such a place, then maybe I'm wrong and you should get that one. I have not heard of that place yet.
But then, I've only been teaching EFL and training EFL teachers for a decade. On four continents, and five countries. With contacts in many more.
Let me know if you find such a place- but don't waste your money on a distance cert without practicum until you do.
Best,
Justin |
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